1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to recorded media and, more specifically, to a storage assembly for recorded media.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, the entertainment industry, and in particular the music industry, produced recorded media generally available in a record album format. The record album was stored inside a storage container referred to as a record album jacket, as is well known. Dimensionally, the record album jacket is approximately 123/8 inches square. Typically, the front cover of the record album jacket portrays an artistic image relating to the record album, and the back cover of the record album jacket includes further artistic imagery, as well as other information relating to the record album. Additionally, the record album jacket may fold-out along a hinge with artistic imagery on the inside.
Recorded media is now generally available in a newer format of a digitally encoded optical disc, particularly for video, audio or CD-ROM. For example, the music industry produces audio discs, commonly referred to as a compact disc (CD). Likewise the movie industry produces video discs, commonly referred to as digital video disc (DVD). The entertainment industry has established a configuration and dimensional convention for recorded media, such as a CD, or DVD. Likewise, the entertainment industry has adopted a standard convention for a package to display and store a CD. An example of a package for a CD is a jewel case. The typical jewel case may include a hinged upper card lower cover member, and a carrier disposed therebetween to retain or support the CD. In a display position, the upper and lower cover member are open and lie in the same plane. The jewel case for a single CD measures approximately 47/8 high by 59/16" wide. An example of a package for a DVD is a carrier disposed within a jacket. The DVD jacket measures approximately 51/2" high by 73/4" wide.
The jewel case or DVD jacket may also include a printed insert, such as a booklet. The booklet may be removable from the jewel case, or DVD jacket, or it may have an edge hinged to the cover member. Similar to a record album jacket cover, the booklet includes artistic imagery, describes the contents of the disc, or otherwise provides information regarding the performer.
A limitation of the above-identified jewel case or DVD jacket is that its reduced size limits the amount of information that can be provided. Another limitation of the jewel case or Dr jacket is that the creativity of the cover art may be compromised. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a storage assembly that makes more information available regarding the recorded media stored within.